Unit Outline

This is a professional experience placement (PEP) unit, undertaken while off campus in diagnostic pathology laboratories accredited by the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA), or equivalent. Students develop an holistic view of the role of the diagnostic pathology laboratory in the health-care industry, with added focus on professional issues, codes of conduct and ethics, work health and safety and laboratory accreditation. Students are subject to the rules and regulations of the host laboratory, supervised by laboratory staff. This unit, in conjunction with CXA412 and/or CXA425 (Medical Laboratory Placement 1 & 2) comprise a full semester unit weighting with an assessment workload appropriate for a 4th year semester.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1.	Identify, analyse and evaluate some laboratory protocols and procedures.
2.	Communicate professional information about laboratory procedures and protocols to a professional audience.

Requisites


REQUISITE TYPE	REQUISITES
Pre-requisite	CXA315, CXA300 and CXA301 Integrated Laboratory Medicine and [(CXA332 and CXA333) or (CXA342 and CXA343) or (CXA352)]
Co-requisite	CXA412 and CXA425

Alterations as a result of student feedback

Reducing the number of assignments from four to three due to relevance and to reduce workload. Spacing of assignment due dates to spread the workload across the whole placement period.

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	Risk assessment	Week 4	15 %	LO1, LO2
Assessment Task 2:	Quality Control Assignment	Week 9	20 %	LO1, LO2
Assessment Task 3:	Theory examination	Refer to Assessment Description	30 %	LO1
Assessment Task 4:	Oral Presentation & Abstract	Refer to Assessment Description	35 %	LO1, LO2

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Risk assessment

Task Description:

Risk assessment -
Whilst on placement, you should work in an organised and safe manner, bearing in mind any relevant WH&S issues. This assignment evaluates your ability to manage five laboratory safety hazards identified in your first few weeks of placement. You do this by completing a risk assessment for each safety hazard identified. Refer to the MyLO Assessment & resources folder CXA401 for instructions, CRA table and additional resources

Task Length:

1000 words

Due Date:

Week 4

Weight:

15 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Integrate and apply knowledge of pathology laboratory occupational health and safety.	LO1
2	Demonstrate the ability to communicate professional information.	LO2

Assessment Task 2: Quality Control Assignment

Task Description:

Quality Control Assignment -
The Quality Control (QC) assignment is designed to provide a context within which you can apply your academic knowledge of QC systems in interpreting analytical performance parameters in the laboratory. Please note: All laboratory information must be de-identified.

Task Length:

2.5 pages max excluding copies of QC charts

Due Date:

Week 9

Weight:

20 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Integrate and apply theoretical knowledge of pathology laboratory quality control procedures	LO1
2	Demonstrate the ability to communicate professional information.	LO2

Assessment Task 3: Theory examination

Task Description:

Theory exam – Online via MyLO Quizzes.
This exam is comprised of five multiple choice quizzes which cover each of the five core disciplines of Laboratory Medicine – Histopathology, Transfusion Science, Clinical Chemistry, Haematology and Microbiology. You have 25 minutes to complete each 20-question quiz once you open it, a total of 125 minutes. The suite of quizzes will be available over a three-hour period (180 minutes) to allow for internet issues. This is a hurdle assessment: you must pass each quiz to pass the exam and to pass the unit. Example questions are available via the Assessment and resources folder on MyLO.

Due Date - refer to Unit Schedule in MyLO

Task Length:

125 minutes

Due Date:

Refer to Assessment Description

Weight:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Recall, identify and evaluate laboratory protocols and results across the core professional streams: Histopathology, Transfusion Science, Clinical Chemistry, Haematology and Microbiology. You must pass each section to pass the exam.	LO1

Assessment Task 4: Oral Presentation & Abstract

Task Description:

Oral Presentation & Abstract
Your oral presentation can be on any topic of professional interest e.g. a case study, an incident involving a method or protocol, a method or protocol that was new or that pertained to a differential diagnosis, a method comparison, a new product, a quality control or assay method problem, a pre-analytical issue etc. You will deliver your oral presentation to staff of your host laboratory in your final week of placement, or the week beforehand, whatever suits the laboratory. It is up to you and your fellow placement students to arrange this with your host laboratory. Use the presentation of your talk to laboratory staff as an opportunity to check the timing and delivery of your presentation and to seek feedback from laboratory staff regarding the accuracy of presentation content and level of staff interest. Your abstract is collated into a presentation booklet, distributed to all students and staff attending the Post Placement Oral Presentations. Please ensure the presentation and abstract comply with the instructions in the MyLO Assessment Resources folder.

Due Date - refer to Unit Schedule in MyLO

Task Length:

12 minutes plus 300 words

Due Date:

Refer to Assessment Description

Weight:

35 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Identify, analyse and evaluate laboratory protocols and procedures.	LO1, LO2
2	Deliver presentation to a professional audience.	LO1, LO2
3	Respond to audience questions.	LO1, LO2

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.

Review of results and appeals

You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.